http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/BCRC Berkshire Cultural Resource Center Blog en valeria.federici@mcla.edu Copyright 2013 2013-01-16T16:43:29-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/the_last_day/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/the_last_day/#When:16:43:29Z The last day of our stay at the APAP conference was, comparably, relatively laid back and calm. We were, first and foremost, able to sleep in, which was incredibly nice. After days of having to be up and ready by eight in the morning, it was lovely to not have to meet until quarter of ten in the morning, especially when it was not to go to any sessions, but was in order to go to the Here Performing Arts Center, which was my personal favorite venue for artistic work on our trip.             Here Performing Arts Center is a unique place that hosts artists in residence, and they host an event called the Hybrid Brunch, where the artists in residence perform a showcase of their works either in three-minute pitches or in fifteen-minute excerpt. We saw six of the artists’ showcases and there were three that really stood out to me in particular. The first was a piece by these two artists, who happen to also be a same-sex married couple. They were creating a piece for each state, based on a same-sex couple from that particular state. There was a proposed performance aspect in their work, but the part that really hit me was the portrait work they had been doing. They would take a map of the state and then cut out a portrait of the couple, leaving the rivers and waterways intact, creating a vein-like look. For some reason, this piece had me on the verge of tears, and the maps themselves were beautiful as well. This piece was a part of a greater series of work that the artists had been cultivating at Here for the past few years. The next piece, and my personal favorite, was entitled “Science Fair”, a piece by mezzo-soprano Hei-Ting Chinn, who performed two excerpts of her work. Accompanied only by a pianist, she had slides of various mammals from the Americas projected on the screen, while she sang random facts about them. This humorous piece was followed by an equally entertaining piece in which she sang the ingredients of a Twinkie, again utilizing slides. The last piece, which was simply hilarious, was entitled The Pigeoning, which featured a two-part presentation. The first part was a comical “Safety in the Office” video, filmed to parody the awful 80’s workplace videos on office protocol. Following the video, two puppeteers manipulated the figure of a man sitting at a desk in said office. The piece was a comical look at Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and utilized really innovative puppetry. Following this section, the puppet moved to a bench, and began to interact with a pigeon puppet. I feel like I should mention that the pigeon was wearing a diving helmet, by the way. This piece was the crowd pleaser of the Hybrid Brunch showcases, and it really was a great experience.             Following the Hybrid Brunch, we made our way to the Expo Hall for the last time. Immediately, Mary Marcil and I, in our true team style, made a very quick dash to our tables of interest, a large portion of which were the groups that had performed at GlobalFest the night before. Once we got pricing, we decided to split up. She had to gather footage of the Expo Hall for the trip, and I needed to plan out prospective seasons. I headed up to the fourth floor, which had showcase rooms and a very nice, secluded, lounge area. I spent the remainder of our time up here, as it was a nice place to think and hammer out different ideas for seasons, as that was our final project. While the last day was a shorter Expo Hall time for me, it was still a very productive one, and it also allowed me the opportunity to see the agents and representatives at their highest level of urgency, as it was the last day and they were all attempting to sell. This, in and of itself, was incredibly eye opening.             After the Expo Hall, we cleaned up and went to the family style Italian restaurant Carmine’s, which I must say, was the largest amount of food I have ever seen. Not only was it amazing, but we were joined by two MCLA alum as well as two members of the Advancement Office. This made the entire dinner into a much more community based event. Following Carmine’s we headed over to Here again, to see a performance of Sumeida’s Song, an hour and a half long opera, written in English, performed as part of the Prototype festival. The set, pictured below, was amazing, and that, combined with the sheer power and spectacle of the material made quite the impact. A member of our group was reduced to tears by the beauty of the event. Following this, we all took a photo outside of Here and headed back to pack, get ready, and leave in the morning.             The drive was successful! We arrived in North Adams in time for people to make their 11 AM classes. Here is where I sign off as blogger for the 2013 APAP trip. Thank you so much to Jonathan Secor, Lisa Donovan, and the entire group of students who went on the trip. This was a truly changing experience. Goodbye!   MCLA Gallery 51 2013-01-16T16:43:29-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/global_fest/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/global_fest/#When:07:46:02Z GlobalFest was, for the majority of the group, the best part of the entire APAP trip. Essentially, this is a festival that featured twelve bands on three stages, each on a separate floor of Webster Hall.             The three floors each had their own distinct feel, and the atmosphere really added a lot to the experience. The bottom floor, in the basement, was called The Studio. This was a tightly packed dance floor with a relatively small stage. At any given time, the audience members were no more than forty feet away from the stage, which was an incredibly intimate scenario. The Marlin Room, which was on the “second floor”, aka ground floor, was much more of a club setting, with a few tables, a bar, and a large space for standing room/dancing. Lastly, the grand ballroom was a massive empty space with a very large stage, encircling the entire top of the room was the unofficial “fourth floor”, which was the VIP section. As APAP members, we were allowed access to this level as well, which was a really great experience, as it allowed us to take breaks from the crowd to take a breather, so to speak. My personal favorite area was the studio, as I tend to like smaller venues, but all three were amazing, and added their own elements to the performances.             Now, I did not see enough of every band to give a detailed description of each set, so I will just touch on the sets that I saw in their entirety, or almost entirety. The first performer that I saw was in The Studio. It was guitarist Stephane Wrembel, who is most well known for being a contributor to the soundtracks of Woody Allen’s films. Another guitarist, as well as a bassist and a drummer accompanied him. The speed, as well as the complicated nature of the music, made this an exciting opening act for those of us that were watching. The film buffs among us also greatly enjoyed hearing him play the main themes to movies such as Midnight in Paris and Vicky Christina Barcelona. Following him, we bounced around, visiting various acts. While many of the groups were good, another real standout was LoJo, a multi-ethnic group based in France. A larger ensemble, the most impressive members were the two female singers, who, I learned later, are sisters. They added percussion elements and sang in harmony, which was beautiful. The leader of the band, an older man who played the piano, among other instruments, was also quite impressive. All in all, the night was full of bands that truly impressed. Now, however, is time for the paragraph devoted to the last two bands of the night. Like Timur and the Dime Museum from a few nights ago, both these bands were highlights of the trip for many artists. The first band is Mucca Pazza, a “punk rock marching band”. The second is A Tribe Called Red, which is a Native American electronic group who combine traditional pow wow music with the sounds of the electronic music scene. Mucca Pazza, who performed in the grand ballroom, entered in style, with a parade line through the audience. The split and ended up interacting a lot with the audience on this first song, which immediately made us like them even more. Accompanied by their punk rock cheerleaders, they took to the stage and provided one of the most amazing live shows I have seen. A completely instrumental group, they showed that you don’t need lyrics or vocalists to be a top-notch punk group. My favorite part of their performance was the dancing of the cheerleaders. Deliberately ridiculous, it added a sense of freedom and a lack of self-consciousness in their work, which made them an immediate crowd pleaser. Another hilarious bit about the cheerleaders is that the pompoms were made of caution tape. The bandleader, who serves as the tuba player as well, was an incredibly charismatic leader who was able to make it seem like the group was being spontaneous. The main thing about Mucca Pazza, and probably why I like them so much, is that they seemed to be having fun themselves, which I feel is incredibly important. Tribe Called Red, performing in The Studio, was another highlight of my evening. I am not, usually, a fan of heavy electronic music, so I was greatly surprised to discover that I really loved this group. The incorporation of the Native American style of music, provided by sampling, as well as by two guest vocalists (both women), added to the feel of the music, which was a very new and innovative feel. The three DJs were top notch, and the entire crowd was jamming along with them before long. The coolest part of this show, though, was the fact that people of all ages were enjoying it. A highlight for me was witnessing a couple who were in their early to mid sixties dancing along like the rest of us, who are much closer to the “target age” for this kind of music. I honestly found that to be awesome, and incredibly unexpected, as most of the time, you are aware of who your audience is. That being said, I have learned that at least one person is reading this blog, which has me incredibly excited. As the first person I know to be reading this, a big shout out to Mrs. Cohen, mother of one of the students on this trip. Thank you for sticking with this!             GlobalFest was an amazing evening, and a great segue into our last day of this trip to NYC. Stay tuned for the final installment and enjoy the pictures below! For more pictures, check out the flickr account. I may also post a purely picture entry after tomorrow’s report on the final day.    Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-15T07:46:02-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_4_part_1_of_2/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_4_part_1_of_2/#When:15:07:11Z Today was, by comparison, a fairly short day. We only had one conference session to attend, and spent much of our day at events outside of the Hilton, which was a nice change in pace. The first, and only session, which I attended today was based around the idea of creating alternative venues for your art, particularly when it comes to performance. Hosted by Alan Brown, a marketing expert who had taken a year off to write a paper on the ideas of site specificity and venue, the session was, by far, the least formal one I had been to this trip. His main thought was that setting is growing in importance to the audience, especially with the “younger” audiences, which he classified as ages twenty through fifty. After giving a brief overview of what he considered alternative venues, he opened the discussion to the audience, asking what sort of nontraditional venues they used. There were several interesting examples, such as a group who performs a concert series at a local Apple Store, complete with dancers and projections, an orchestra who performs in abandoned industrial parks, and, perhaps the most exciting and offbeat, an Australian group who create a hybrid music festival/car show, with the artists performing from the backs of large trucks. These examples really stirred the audience, as these people were getting at the central idea of alternative venue work. The speaker, Alan Brown, did stress, however, the importance of making sure the space is the right choice for your work, and that you aren’t just throwing it tin a random space, in an attempt to be edgy. “Something beautiful can happen when you make an alignment between the art and the setting”, said Brown. In a moment that was particularly exciting to me, he gave a huge shout out to Diane Paulus, the artistic director of the American Repertory Theater, and one of my artistic heroes. He specifically mentioned two of her productions, calling her a crusader of the idea. The first was The Donkey Show, which is a disco club reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which the audience dances on the club floor with the actors. Her other production was a performance of an opera, which she presented at the Hayden Planetarium, filling the room with gigantic projections. Both these productions were incredibly inspiring. After this, he asked if the audience had any suggestions for each other. The best answer came from the woman who ran the orchestra which performs in industrial parks. When it comes to branching out with your venues, all she had to say was “Just be brave!”. After the sessions came a quick, and amazingly entertaining, performance by comedian/musician/beat boxer Reggie Watts. His stream of consciousness music, and the way he spontaneously created verses and incorporated the audience was a really inspiring and entertaining element of his work. It was a nice change of pace to suddenly have this occurring in the middle of one of the ballrooms. There really isn’t anything more to say about him other than LOOK HIM UP! He is hilarious and talented, as well as a supremely charismatic performer, all of which add up into a great show. His improvised song on the boroughs of New York was, by far, my favorite of his works. Now, after a brief lunch at a very nice Japanese restaurant, we entered the expo hall again, this time with a specific mission, which was to find pricing on several of the artists we decided to pursue further. The first of these was Samita Sinha, the woman we saw perform at Joe’s Pub on our first night. She was represented by this company called MAPP, and the people at that booth were incredibly kind to us, and managed to work through various possibilities with us, which was very nice, as some managers and agents immediately dismiss us because we are students. The other big booth we spent a large amount of time at was Eye for Talent, who represent a large amount of world music artists. The woman we encountered was incredibly helpful, and told us to check out two of their artists at GlobalFest, which we were attending later in the evening. Where do I even start with GlobalFest? This event was one in which all three levels of Webster Hall were filled with various bands, and we were allowed to simply walk through and see whichever ones we felt like. The atmosphere was definitely one of a laid back festival, mixed with that of a music club, which is essentially what Webster Hall is, so that makes sense. The bands that performed were incredibly diverse in style, which really made this event as successful as it seemed to be.  Later today, I will post my full GlobalFest post, as well as photos from today. Stay tuned! Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-14T15:07:11-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_three_best_day_so_far/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_three_best_day_so_far/#When:13:04:19Z Day three was, by far, the biggest whirlwind day we’ve had on this trip, as of yet. The day truly went all over the place, with us getting a little sample of every aspect of the arts.             We woke up and had our daily morning meeting, before heading off to the first sessions of the day, which began at 9:30. I, with a few other trip members, attended a panel called “Fortune’s Bones”. Having not expected to attend this one, I was completely out of the loop on what it was. Turns out, “Fortune’s Bones” was a piece of music, composed by musician (and medical doctor) Ysaye Barnwell. The story behind her work is amazing. Fortune was a slave in the late 1700s who, when he died, was dissected by his physician owner. The remains still exist, as the doctor had preserved the bones to teach his students bone setting in the early 1800s. Currently in a museum, the bones are a subject of widespread debate, which formed the basis for the entire event that came from Barnwell’s work. Originally composed as a piece that would stand alone, a course of events swept up the music and created a multifaceted event, complete with dance troupes, drum circles, prayer circles, and even a wall for painting murals, all of which was opened to the public. The university in the area, which ended up hosting this event, was the University of Maryland. Historically, the surrounding neighborhood and the local community, predominantly underprivileged, had had a rocky relationship. The session addressed how the event pulled everyone together to create a successful program, which acted as the culmination of a year’s worth of hard work on the part of both sides of the argument.             After a lunch break, we headed into an interesting event, held in one of the ballrooms of the hotel. This event was the “pecha kucha”, which is a presentation technique, coming from the Japanese word for chit chat, in which the presenter uses twenty slides, each up for twenty seconds, to tell a story. There was a panel of illustrious presenters, including musician DBR, playwright Young Jean Lee, “”projectician” Adam Horowitz, the agent for an Algerian musician, and even one of the leaders of the website Kickstarter. They spoke on a variety of issues, but, to me, the stand out presenters were DBR and Young Jean Lee. DBR is a musician who created a series of quick snapshots, both from his career and his personal life. Included were snippets on his son, his father, the art of touring, his work with children’s outreach groups, and even his collaborations, such as that with Lady Gaga. Young Jean Lee, who is, admittedly, one of my favorite playwrights, spoke as to her creative process. Completely hilarious and self-deprecating, she spoke of the importance of picking something that you are incredibly afraid of, and tackling it. The fear is what, ultimately, should guide you. When they opened the forum up for questions, a truly touching moment occurred, where a women stood to thank the representative of Kickstarter, who had backed her project, and gotten this woman’s vocal album produced. “I just want to touch your hand, as you made this all possible” was what she said. This, to me, was just as impressive as any spectacular show, as it showed what, ultimately, we as artists and programmers and producers can do for each other, even in the slightest way.             Now, the moment you have all been waiting for! Or, at least, us. The expo hall had opened. This meant all the people looking for backers and presenters had set up booths on three separate floors, creating a literal maze of advertisements. Any and every kind of art was represented here, from the circus to dance companies, from Broadway to people in giant golden insect costumes (they were a children’s show, and very nice). This whole experience can be overwhelming, so we were told to travel in duos. My partner, Mary Marcil, and I developed a plan for approaching the exhibitors, as well as an overall strategy. First off, we simply did laps of each room, singling out one booth from each for our first round. Once we’d approached someone, Mary immediately began talking to them, as she is, by far, the more gregarious of the two of us. While she did this, I collected the brochures they had to offer, and then began to ask about opportunities, such as workshops and talkbacks, as well as the technical (and non-technical) demands of the exhibitor. Mary then came in with the clincher asking, as she put it, “That awkward money question”.  Standouts on the first day include The Portable Dorothy Parker (a one woman show), Endurance (a group affiliated with Shakespeare & Company, and friends of Mary), and the Lulu Washington Dance Company (a smaller company which we had the opportunity to see the night before).             After a quick, and eventful, dinner at a wonderful Italian restaurant, we headed to Here, to view the band Timur and the Dime Museum, which is an opera infused rock band being presented as part of the Prototype Festival, which is committed to presenting new opera theater works. This was, by far, my favorite thing we have seen yet. The band, consisting of six members, performed an incredibly vigorous, and diverse, set, all the while accompanied by projections of themselves, being filmed by a collaborator and then distorted using a device of his own creation. Clad in futuristic/fantastical military outfits (and a maid costume, a matador costume with boy shorts, and a sparkly suit), the band blurred the lines of what is rock, was it pop, what is electronica, and what is opera. While they performed mostly original works, they did perform covers of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” and Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer”, which the lead singer performed while, for lack of a better word, “flirting” with various members of the audience, including our own Mary Marcil. After their performance, the band, and their video collaborator, gave a talkback, answering such questions as “how do you relate your work to your classical training” and “What advice would you give a young performer”, the latter of which was asked by our MCLA student Jordan Cohen. Ultimately, Timur and the Dime Museum was an amazing experience. One that not only had many of us buying their music and t-shirts, but also had some of us, such as myself, thinking about what the future holds, and looking at places such as Here, and events such as the Prototype, as a place that could, conceivably, become somewhere we want to get involved. This feeling was only furthered by the fact that we were joined by Here staffer, and former MCLA student/APAP tripper Isabelle Holmes, who served as a guide for us, which was incredibly generous and eye opening.             To close out the evening, we headed back to the Hilton to check out all the showcases that were occurring, all over the building. I ended p attending five separate showcases, only one of which I originally intended on seeing. The first was a group called the O Sole Trio, who performed a cabaret of songs written by Italian American artists, ranging from opera to Madonna to the theme from the film Rocky. Next was a revue of the various forms of Indian dance, featuring a sample of a dance reimagining of The Ramayana. Next came a group of Canadian singers called The Good Lovelies. The group consisted of three women, the vocalists, and one man, who did not sing, but who played upright base. Their harmonies were incredible, and the humor and ease in their performance was spot on. Following them came the most amazing showcase of the night; the Push physical theatre group. A small troupe, the Push group aimed to create highly physical performances that were more dance than theatre, but still completely awe inspiring. They performed a sampling of their current works, as well as held a première of sorts for a new piece. It felt great to be in the audience the first time “Red Ball”, their new work, was presented.  Lastly, but most definitely not least, came the group from Second City in Chicago. This well known comedy group was a great way to end the evening, as they were easy and humorous, but also were clever.             Today, though a whirlwind, was an incredibly amazing day. Get ready for EXPO ROUND TWO, coming tomorrow.       Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-13T13:04:19-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_two/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_two/#When:07:15:27Z   Today was our first full day in New York City, as part of the APAP trip. And what a day it was! To start off, we all woke early, and went to our first New York morning meeting. Eight in the morning saw all of us, minus Professor Donovan, who met us at the conference, sitting around Professor Secor’s suite discussing our pre-conference forums for the day. The way that the morning ran was that we each picked two forums to attend, usually in small groups. Here is the point in this blog where you get to see what I, personally, attended. My first forum was entitled “Building Parallel Spaces for Engaged Practice”. It was a panel of six presenters who all spoke on the idea of drawing in an audience of the “less enfranchised”. Two speakers were particular standouts. The first was Kemi Ilesanmi, the Executive Director of The Laundromat Project. This project/organization was based around the idea of bringing resident artists into Laundromats across the city of New York and having them interact with the community by creating art and inspiring conversation. One of the examples she used was an artist who taught yoga lessons to people in a very poor part of the city. Using the laundromat as her base, she then took body prints of her students and hung them, displaying them as art. Another artist created a bench out of books outside of her local laundromat, in a neighborhood where the public library had been closed for over a year. Through use of donated books, she sparked conversation and made a book swap center, providing people with accessible literature. The other speaker at this forum who really inspired the audience was Baraka Sele. She is an independent producer who also worked a long span as the Assistant Vice President of Programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. She spoke to the idea of getting to know your audience and building an audience based off of the community already in place. The example she used was the LGBT festival, which she helped create in response to the large amount of homophobia she discovered in Newark. The forum took an interesting turn when Ms. Sele took offense to a question asked by an audience member, in which the member referred to people of color as the “non-white” audience. All in all, a rather eye-opening forum, and a great way to start the day. Next came lunch, which I only mention because, on the recommendation of several people, I tried the “New York’s Best Shawarma” stand. It truly did live up to the name, in case you’re wondering. Now came the second forum, which for myself and a few other students was the forum put on b the founders of the brand new Prototype festival, which is a festival focusing on new works within the field of “opera theater”. The speakers included a director, a writer, and many producers who are working on changing the face of this field, which many see as dated. The main focus of the forum, however, was on the ever-changing needs of artists in this form. In direct opposition to popular belief,  producers are no longer looking for the traditional, usually large, singers, but are now every bit as demanding as any other theatrical field. What followed was essentially a long conversation on the nature of the music, much of which, admittedly, went over my head. However, this did make me incredibly excited to see “Sumeida’s Song” , which is one of the operas they spoke about. Following a break, we headed to dinner at La Luncheonette, the French restaurant, before heading to the FOCUS dance festival. Always looking to try new things, I decided to be adventurous and try a skate wing for dinner. IT actually was incredibly good, and has my recommendation. Then it was off to the world of dance. We saw two of the presentations of the FOCUS dance festival; Eiko & Koma and John Jasperse. The first act was Eiko and Koma, an older Japanese couple who performed two pieces: “White Dance” and “Flower Dance”. Both pieces featured the duo’s signature glacial movement, as well as choice bold movements that broke the monotony. The first piece, for instance, ended as the male dancer ran on stage and emptied two large rucksacks of potatoes. The second involved the female dancing beating her partner with a bouquet of wilted flowers. John Jasperse’s piece, entitled “Fort Blossom revisited”, featured four dancers; two women in red dresses and two naked men, performing movements meant to simulate and evoke the act of anal sex. A large portion of this piece featured what seemed to be a mixture of contact improv and manipulation of these large plastic shapes, similar to blow up chairs, which they threw, sat on, and even strapped to their backs. Both these presentations really gave a sense of the modern, and more abstracted, forms of dance that are being produced today. Closing out the night was another choice. While one group went to see singer Maya Azucena at The Apollo (pictured below), I went with the other group to the City Center to see a dance show by choreographer Lulu Washington. Despite some backtracking and getting lost, we eventually caught the end of this show. The company, entirely African-American, was clad in white dance attire, with the exception of one man, who was wearing bike shorts and a purple fedora. This show featured dancing of the kind that we commonly associate with modern or lyrical, with a lot of flowing line and quick movements. It was a very solid performance, and a nice way to end the evening of dance.   Below are pictures from our last two days, as a catch up!:   Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-12T07:15:27-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/apap_entry_1_1_10_mclas_first_day_in_nyc/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/apap_entry_1_1_10_mclas_first_day_in_nyc/#When:05:23:34Z Well it’s that time of year again! This morning, eight arts management, FPA, and even a few English majors began their journey to the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, an expo showcasing the arts that takes place yearly in New York City. Meeting at eight in the morning at MCLA’s Gallery 51, we began with our first of many early morning meetings. Going over the itinerary for the day, we caught up after our break, and even welcomed a new member of the trip. Then, the hardest part of the day stood in front of us; the ride to NYC. All of us climbed into one of the school vans and, driven by professor, and group leader, Jonathan Secor, we set off. During the drive, we were treated to one last presentation on one of the major events we were seeing while at the expo; the FOCUS Dance Festival, a dance festival which lasts several days and features many groups from all over the world. Stay tuned for a report on our FOCUS Dance evening, coming soon! Upon entering the city, we were treated to a mini-tour by Professor Secor, who may be one of the best guides, as he doesn’t dwell on anything for too long. This “speed-dating” of certain sites gave us a clear-cut idea of where we were, and the environment we were getting into. Once checking into our rooms at the Hotel Newton, and having about an hour of downtime for lunch, we gathered and headed to The Studio Museum of Harlem. This unique museum currently features the work of 27 artists who have lived, worked, or been inspired by Harlem. Perhaps the most unique feature of the museum was the residency program, which offers workspace to artists, providing them with studios on the third floor of the building. In a fun turn of events, our tour guide, Virginia Vergara, was an artist who has shown at both Gallery 51 and Downstreet Art. She brought us through the galleries, making sure to share her thoughts on the various artists presenting, including two with whom she attended school. Standout pieces in the exhibition halls included a work by Noah Davis, which consisted of two large canvases, which appeared to have been painted, but were then covered in gold leaf and black paints, leaving only a small portion of the original layer exposed. Artist Firelei Baez’s piece was another standout. This featured pages from old books, as well as images of former leaders of the Dominican Republic, which were then altered with depictions of women, cut out of another pattern, layered on top. The artist then drew on the hair on the women. When we learned the importance of hair to the culture of women, particular under one of the depicted dictators, we became aware of the cultural story being presented. Perhaps the most awe inspiring moment of the museum visit, however, came when we were led to an exhibit of photography from renowned artist Gordon Parks. This exhibit, “A Harlem Family 1967”, was a series of photographs taken when Parks stayed with a family in their home. This exhibit gave us an intimate look into the life of an impoverished African-American family in 1960’s Harlem, not sparing any chance to showcase the destitution and harshness of their world, but also the softer moments of love one is able to find in any family. After the museum, we all headed home for a rest before embarking on the night’s excursion. The first of our two adventures of the evening was “Inflatable Frankenstein” at The Kitchen. The Kitchen describes itself as a non-profit experimental performance space, and that is exactly what it delivered. The show we saw, which was put on by the group Radiohole, was an abstracted adaptation of Mary Shelley’s famed novel, featuring audience interaction, whimsical dancing, projections, a giant inflatable brain/heart/lung combo, and a large amount of goo. It was a sensory overload, requiring the audience’s full attention to follow along. However, it was, ultimately, and incredibly entertaining and enjoyable adaptation of the original text, and really showed what The Kitchen represents. Switching gears entirely, we headed over to Joe’s Pub, located inside the famed Public Theatre, for a performance by vocalist Samita Sinha. The first thing that struck us all about the theatre was the large array of black and white photographs hung outside the entrance to Joe’s Pub. These depicted many of the amazing productions put on by the Public Theater. We could be seen, both before and after the show, pointing out luminaries such as Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Natalie Portman, among others. Once inside, the atmosphere of the space immediately hit us. The lights were incredibly dim, with the stage located in a corner. The seats were leveled, and were gathered around various tables and booths. One student jokingly remarked that they felt like they were in a James Bond film. Sinha herself was incredible. Accompanied by a DJ/electronic artist, as well as a drummer, she performed a concise set of songs that showed off the emotive power of her voice. She also experimented with different technological aspects of performance, such as a machine that looped her voice, allowing her to duet with herself. The trio really created this incredible set, which drew in the audience, making us, want more. Ultimately a great way to end our first day of APAP! Stay tuned for photos from day one, as well as accounts and photographs from the rest of our stay in New York! Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-11T05:23:34-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_five_time_to_say_goodbye/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_five_time_to_say_goodbye/#When:06:32:52Z Sunday, January 6th, 2013 Today was our last full day of the trip. I truly cannot believe how fast this Haitian experience flew by! I feel so cultured and blessed to have participated in this educational opportunity, for each and every day has been a valuable learning experience. For our final day, we enveloped ourselves in art. First, we visited an area of Port-au-Prince where rows and rows of colorful paintings are hung up on the street walls. Artwork and other goods are sold on every street corner in Port-au-Prince, but some areas have more artwork than others. This particular street we visited was filled with paintings in every shape and size. Every picture told a story, and their artists were anxiously waiting for buyers like us to purchase their art.   Bartering with the artists can be quite a challenge. Once an artist knows you are interested in a painting, other artists will swarm over to you like bees waiting for honey. They hover close to you and try to persuade you to choose one of their paintings: “Ma’am! Ma’am! You like this painting? Choose this painting! I’ll give you a price of two for $25.00,” they’d tell me. This was a little overwhelming at times, but I realized that I had to be stern and go with my gut feeling on the price of a particular painting. After a couple of trial and run errors, I realized that bartering for artwork is actually quite fun. In the end, both the artist and the buyer are happy. Most importantly, making sure that the money is going towards a hard working and deserving artist is what matters the most. The group was overall successful with bartering and choosing paintings for negotiable prices. In addition, we visited the Iron Market, a busy marketplace filled with art and local goods. This is the area where the 2010 earthquake hit the hardest, and its damage is still evident. Crumbled houses crammed with buyers and their goods, water pouring down the dusty streets, and congested traffic are now the norm. The swarming of the artists and the bartering was even more prevalent at this location. Nevertheless, the group was quick to think on their feet and practice their bartering skills. As a final hurrah, we stopped by Club Indigo, a beautiful beach outside of Port-au-Prince that showcases the beauty of the Caribbean shoreline.  The turquoise water and white sand looked like the image on a postcard.  Before we leave Haiti tomorrow, we will be having a press conference with Regine, the US Embassy representative. Multiple press reporters will be present to ask us questions about our Haitian experience. I’m looking forward to talking to the press and sharing my love of Haiti with them. During my time here, I witnessed many sides of Haiti. From poverty in the Grand Rue, the wonders of Haitian RA RA music, to high class art featured at Phillipe’s studio, I found the Haitian culture fascinating. The art is what Haitians thrive on to survive. They are trying to bring a new beginning to Haiti. The passion and hope that I saw in the faces of the Haitian artists will forever be imprinted in my mind. Many people look down on Haiti due to false pretenses, but now it is time for people to change their perspective and look up. Will you take the journey? Trust me, you will be pleasantly surprised.  I want to take this time to especially thank all friends, family, and supporters of MCLA BCRC who have taken the time to read about the MCLA cultural immersion group’s adventures these past five days.  (Shout out to a special person whose birthday is today!!) It means so much to MCLA community. I would like to give special thanks to Professors Jonathan Secor and Melanie Mowinksi, two amazing professors for whom this trip would not have been possible. Also, a special thank you to our Haitian friends Phillipe, BelO and the countless others we have encountered who showed us a side of Haiti that we would have never imagined. Merci and Au revoir! ~L      Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-07T06:32:52-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/the_spirit_of_ra_ra/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/the_spirit_of_ra_ra/#When:13:00:25Z Saturday, January 5th, 2013  Today our morning started off with a visit to Jean Rene Delsoin’s Dance Studio. Delsoin is a well- respected Haitian dancer who started his company in Port-au-Prince ten years ago. He has been dancing for more than 25 years. His colorful studio is filled with pictures of dancers. Our dance session started off with warm up exercises by Delsoin himself. Once we mastered the exercise, Delsoin cued in the band that was sitting at the back of the studio. Bongo drums and other instruments filled the room as the class swayed to the music.  The experience was mesmerizing.  After the warm up, Delsoin’s confidante showed us three styles of Haitian dance, one of which was called the emu. Another dance symbolized a snake, with our arms curling in the air. He paired each of us up with one of the male Haitian dancers that were taking the class with us, and we would dance across the studio. My partner was very nice and would practice the dance moves with me before we danced in line with the rest of the class. I’m proud to say that I eventually got the hang of it! The live music really added to the session; I felt invigorated dancing along to the beat of the drums. After our amazing hour and a half session, we traveled to the Croix Des Bouquets with Haitian musician BelO. Also known as “The Iron Village,” this is the area of Haiti that BelO calls home. Twenty miles short of the Dominican Republic, BelO’s hometown consists of an art community. The houses belong to artisan families who have been practicing their art for generations. For example, in one home, the parents and their seventeen children all produce artwork. The beautiful artwork beckoned to us as we explored the village. Iron melded into intricate designs, colorful jewelry, and hand woven bags captured my attention. A majority of the artwork we saw was made out of iron, hence the name, “The Iron Village.” I had never seen art like this before, and I was able to get a glimpse behind the art when the group watched a couple of artists creating their pieces. Sitting on the ground, the artists banged a rod into the iron surface, chipping away the piece of iron into a wall ornament that would eventually become a design made of suns, moons, or more. Before we left, BelO wanted to show us art that was, in his words, “a must see.” We were welcomed into the home of one of the founders of the iron artwork movement. He is well known around the world, and his work has been shown in many countries. His iron pieces take up the entire space of the walls in his house. What I loved most about the iron work was the significant amount of detail. The intricate designs of doves, leaves, and people all woven into the iron pieces were incredible. The group left The Iron Village with a selection of iron work that will soon be shared with family and friends in the United States. I personally can’t wait to show off the artwork that these amazing Haitian artists have created. To end off the night, we went to The Bamboo House, a club where BelO arranged a concert of Haitian artists. BelO brought together artists  from his music organization, HANDZUP. He wanted us to see the different kinds of music that Haiti has to offer. Sitting in the outdoor lounge area, we listened to acapella music, Haitian rap, and a Haitian style of heavy metal. Our own Jess Jean-Charles even performed a song to the adoring crowd! BelO invited family and friends, and our good friend Phillipe was there. The most amazing part of the night was the last performance by a RA RA band. RA RA is a style of Haitian street music that originated in Vodou ceremonies. The band of about ten people with colorful bongos and other instruments appeared from the back of the lounge and came right up to our group. The entire club started dancing to the loud and pulsing music. We danced and danced until our feet hurt, even practicing some of the dance moves we learned earlier today at Delsoin’s dance studio. This was the perfect end to our night. We said our goodbyes to Phillipe, who has been an outstanding friend and guide on our artistic adventure. We also said our goodbyes to BelO, who arranged this entire concert for us and showed us a piece of his childhood at The Iron Village. These generous people are the people that bring life to Haiti and prove how wonderful this country truly is.  ~L  Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-06T13:00:25-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/this_is_what_heaven_looks_like/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/this_is_what_heaven_looks_like/#When:14:17:11Z Friday, January 4th, 2013 This morning we were welcomed into Phillipe’s humble aboad for coffee and tea. Serving coffee and tea in the home is a custom for Haitians to show respect to their guests.  Phillipe’s house is on the top of a mountain that overlooks Port-au -Prince. The view of the mountains and the houses down below is breathtaking. Phillipe’s home looks like it was created by an artist; his stunning work is shown all around his house. He gave us a tour of his work, including a visit to his workshop. One of his pieces that truly stuck out to me is a dark colored painting called “The Fallen Chairs.” This painting features broken chairs that represent a school during the earthquake. Many children died under the rubble when the school collapsed, and Phillipe wanted to showcase this tragic moment. I could sense the desperation in his work. Phillipe also showed us charcoal drawings that he had made. When I asked him how long it takes to paint a picture, he told me that it is like having a baby; it is a long process that is extremely rewarding.Next stop was to meet more artists and explore their artwork on the mountain. Up the bumpy hill we drove to other artist’s homes to admire and purchase their artwork. One of the main purposes of this trip was to purchase Haitian artwork to help the artistic economy. Over the course of the day, the group purchased a lot of art. The group fell in love with colorful trays at one location; the artist ONEL personally signed each and every one. This was my first piece of artwork that I bought on the trip. I felt so happy knowing that my money was going towards an incredible artist. At one point the group rode in the back of Phillipe’s truck to get to another artist’s house. What an experience! The bumpy road just added to the fun. Many of the artists paint pictures of the sun, and I selected a cloth painting of the sun that will be hung up in a location at MCLA. Walking up and down the hills to visit the artist’s homes and artwork, I couldn’t help but think of how this must surely be what heaven looks like. The peacefulness of the mountains and the hope that is instilled in Haiti carries true. We also visited the memorial site of Tiga, who was the founder of the Son Sole movement, a style of simplistic and beautifully colored work. Phillipe is actually working on the memorial site, and will be adding a gold dome to the memorial.  For lunch we ate at BelO’s cousin’s restaurant. BelO is a popular Haitian musician who recently performed  a set at MCLA. We will be meeting him tomorrow, where he will be performing for us! Expressions Art Gallery, the last gallery that we visited for the day, featured a variety of Phillipe’s artwork. His artwork sells for $1,000.00 and more. Everywhere we go, the Haitians are very kind, and Phillipe is no exception. He has taken the time out of his busy days to spend time with us and show us a whole new side to art. Without Phillipe, we would have never been able to make connections with such incredible and inspiring artists that lived in the mountains. We also bought sketchbooks to draw pictures of the every day festivities and sights that we see. At dinner last night at Quartier Latin, for example, I drew a picture of the jazz band that was playing and the outdoor tables reflecting the candlelight and sparkling ornaments dangling from the trees. The restaurant’s walls were covered with the names of past visitors who have left their mark.  We each added our name to the wall, a piece of us that will forever be in Haiti. ~L    Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-05T14:17:11-05:00 http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_two_the_artists_of_the_grand_rue/ http://web2.mcla.edu/index.php/bcrc/day_two_the_artists_of_the_grand_rue/#When:05:22:20Z Thursday, January 3rd, 2013Have you ever had a day so incredible that you can’t believe it actually happened? This describes Day Two of the cultural immersion trip perfectly. Early this morning the group met Phillipe, one of the most amazing and influential artists in Haiti. He designed the entire architecture of the Karibe Hotel. His stunning work is shown in the stain glass mural in the main lobby and the mosaic tiling outside that welcomes guests to the hotel. Phillipe also designed iron work for the windows which displays beautiful images of tropical flowers and hummingbirds. We also met Regine, the cultural affairs ambassador for the US Embassy. She explained how the media has portrayed Haiti as such a negative country, with violence and poverty. As a result, other countries opinions are swayed. I have definitely seen this "fear": many of my friends and family expressed their concerns for my trip before I left. During our conversation, Regime made a very good point: Do people stop traveling to New York City because violence and poverty exists? No. Yes, there is violence and poverty in Haiti, but a person will encounter violence and poverty in any country. I’m glad that our group is here to change this perspective and bring a positive light to Haiti. Our next stop was a visit to the National Pantheon Museum, the Museum of Haitian Art. I was fascinated to see the different artifacts that were included in the museum, such as the anchor from The Santa Maria and a 200 year old gold crown from one of Haiti’s kings. The blue stone featured in the king’s crown is only seen in two countries in the entire world. While looking at artifacts and artwork, I noticed all of the inscriptions are in French, since the land was once owned by France. Phillip accompanied us and gave us a tour of the modern Haitian artwork featured in the museum as well.After this, we ate lunch with Phillipe at Hotel Olofson, a Haitian gingerbread house that was converted into a hotel in 1987. To improve the hotel business, owner Richard A. Morse hired a dance troupe that become the band, RAM. Morse became the songwriter and lead vocalist of the band. (The band name is made up of his initials.) RAM still plays every Thursday night. While at the hotel, we saw the RAM dance floor. The dance floor walls showcase an incredible work of Haitian art. Vibrant colors and swirling designs cover every inch of the walls. Next stop was a visit to the Grand Rue district, a poverty stricken slum where the art of the Grand Rue Artists prevail. Phillipe brought us to this area in Port-au-Prince. The Grand Rue style of art consists of artwork made from recycled materials and trash. It was incredible to see what the artists could create with their imagination and trash from the streets; relics made out of tires and paintings with actual Haitian skulls are just some examples. As we walked along the slums, I saw many Haitians without shoes and dirt caking their feet. However, they all seemed to have smiles on their faces. Even though they live in poor conditions, they do the best that they can to prevail. After all, the Grand Rue Artist movement was created to showcase the strength in the Haitian art community. The Grand Rue Artists bring a new perspective to poverty. During the day, we saw a Kalabash tree, which is a tree that grows poisonous fruit. However, the green shell of the fruit can be used to make bowls and artwork. At the Grand Rue district, we saw art made out of the Kalabash trees. I love how the Haitians use their environment as resources for their art. Dinner at La Lorraine concluded the evening. This modern style restaurant just opened a month ago, but the business is booming. (The owner is actually a relative of Regine’s.) To gain a cultural experience, the group has been trying a new type of food every night. Tonight we ate duck, goat, and fish. Once we returned to the hotel, we bumped into the CEO and founder of CS Mining, a mining company that has business in Haiti. Ironically, I did a presentation on Haitian mining and deforestation especially for this trip, and I actually included CS Mining in my presentation. You never know who you may meet in Haiti! ~L   Cultural Trippin' 2013-01-04T05:22:20-05:00